Sophie Callahan is PI Brad Harrington’s best lead to tracking down the man he’s been hired to bring to justice: Sophie’s own thieving father. But when Brad arrives at The Pampered Pooch, just behind a litter of stray kittens, the pet-store owner is the big surprise. This scrappy, huge-hearted woman with charm to spare gets to Brad in a way no one has ever been able to before. She spends her life finding—and making—homes for others: abandoned pets, her young niece. He’ll have to tell her why he’s really here. Which means he’ll have to choose between his sail-away dreams and the chance to build a forever home—with her.

Her father had taught her not to trust as a child, and she prided herself on being more open and less closed off as an adult. Until one phone call from her father had made her suspicious of everyone, including herself. One phone call had made her doubt that decency existed.

Brad had rescued a litter of abandoned kittens, offered to fix her security camera for dog food and was a mayor’s son. The son of Mayor Nancy Harrington who had campaigned with her greyhounds. Sophie should have thought of that sooner. Something close to hope swirled through her and she shifted in her chair to face Brad. Maybe Brad was an answer to her problems, not another problem. But if he was using her for information on her father, then she wouldn’t feel the least guilty about her next move. After all, George Callahan had lectured his young daughters that turnabout was fair play, never mind any moral objection. “Can I ask you a favor?”

“Sure.”

His warm smile eased through her like melted marshmallows into homemade hot chocolate. But she’d burned her tongue so many times she’d lost her craving for even a sip of the deliciously rich drink. “Would you introduce me to your mother?”

*

NO. NO. NO. That wasn’t the right favor. Brad wasn’t agreeing to that. Her father had drained her account. She should want the money back. She should want to find her father. Unless she already knew where he was laying low.

“I’ve spooked you.” Sophie waved her hands at him and then at herself. “I wasn’t asking to meet your family as if this was...you and I...as if this was something. Because it’s nothing. We just met. You’re temporary. That sounded mean. It could be something. Maybe, not that it is.” Sophie covered her face, inhaled and held her breath.

Brad stared at her cheeks reddening between her spread fingers and forgot about George Callahan. Sophie was flustered, stammering and quite simply too adorable.

“You could help here,” she muttered behind her hands.

He’d never seen that deep shade of red before, not even in Evelyn’s prized garden. Evelyn’s roses had never been such an inviting crimson shade. Maybe if Evelyn’s roses had been as appealing as Sophie’s cheeks, he wouldn’t have cut off the heads all those years ago. “I am.”

She glared at him.

He grinned back. “I’m politely waiting while you collect yourself.”

She dropped her hands and pointed at him. “You know this isn’t anything. We met less than twenty-four hours ago. I’m not interested in becoming a Harrington.” She jerked back. That warm red washed from her cheeks, and her dark brown eyes widened.

“What are you interested in?” Brad reached out and grabbed her hand instead of brushing his fingers across her cheeks to coax that warmth to return.

She studied their joined hands, then looked up at him. “Surviving.”

About the Author

Cari Lynn Webb lives in South Carolina with her husband, daughters and assorted four-legged family members. She's been blessed to see the power of true love in her grandparent's 70 year marriage and her parent's marriage of over 50 years. She knows love isn't always sweet and perfect, it can be challenging, complicated and risky. But she believes happily-ever-afters are worth fighting for. She loves to connect with readers. Visit her at her website.

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